Waterproof shoe



0t.15, 1929. ,AAGLDDEN UAL 1,731,740

WATERPROOF SHOE v Filed Nov 5, 192e 'if f,

Patented Oct. 15, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-TCE ALFRED A. GLIDDEN, OF WATERTOWN, AND WALTER R. HICKLER, OF WESTON, MASSA-V CHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO HOOD RUBBER COMPANY, OF WATERTOWN, MASSACHU- SETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS v WATERPROOF sHo-E Application led November 5, 1928. n Serial No. 317,371.

This invention relates to an improved overshoe or shoe embodying therein a Waterproof upper. i

The object of the invention is to provide an overshoe or shoe the upper of which is impervious to air and Water and is vulcanizable, said upper being composed Substantially of a single sheet of material Which may represent Woolen, felted and knitted fabrics, or certain soft tanned leathers. When ground` leather is used for the outer layer of the fabric forming the upper, a leather appearance is given to the upper. Pigments may be used in the said upper to obtain fine decorative effects. When. long hair is used on the outer surface of the upper, a fur effect may be obtained. Thus it will be seen that according to the material used on the outer face of the fabric, different appearing materials may be produced.

The object of the invention is, therefore, to provide an overshoe or shoe embodying therein a Waterproof vulcanizable upper i which, While presenting the appearance on the outside of a fabric or of softleather, shall have a stockinette or other desired inner face, while intermediate the inner and outer faces is a layer of elastic gum compound.

While embodying these characteristics the invention embodies a shoe, the upper of which is composed of different materials which are so associated and intermingled as to form `in function and in effect a singleply material.

Another object of the invention is to complete the upper before any part of it is placed on the last in the manufacture of the shoe as distinguished from the prior art in overshoe manufacture, wherein the` upper Was constructed ofa plurality of/pieces of material and built up piece by piece on the last.

The upper of the shoe of this invention consists of a sheet of material which has, in combination, an inner layer, preferably of fabric, an outer layer of particles of material, preferably fibrous material, such as flock, and an intermediate layer of elasticl gum compound superimposed upon the inner layer and to which the layer of small particles of material is attachedby a layer of adhesive material containing fibrous material.

The intermediate layer of elastic gum compound and the layer of adhesive material preferably have sulphur and other materials, such as an accelerator, preferably diphenylguanidine, incorporated therein, and also a metallic oxide, preferably zinc oxide. These materials incorporated in the layer of elastic gum compound and the layer vof adhesive material render thesel layers vulcanizable, thus the upper may be vulcanized priorto or1 after its incorporation in the complete s oe.

The upper ofthe shoe of this invention is not only impervious to air and .Water, but is flexible to a high degree because of the structure embodied therein and, therefore, resists the Wearing action of bending toy a marked degree.

Prolonged life of the upper of the shoe of this invention is obtained as it is a Wellknown fact that articles made of rubber or rubber compound, and articles made of rub-I ber or'rubber compound coated textile material deteriorate to a greater or less degree when exposed to the action of certain rays of light, such as may be found in sunlight.

In the upper of the shoe of this invention, the outside layer being composed of millions of small pieces, preferably of fibrous material, which are firmly fixed to and which completely cover the elastic gum body or' intermediate layer, protect it from the penetration of light and from oxidation, thereby greatly prolonging the lifevof the shoe upper.

If desired, the fiberized surface of the upper may be embossed to produce different effects. The underlying .yielding structpre of rubber compound is readily formed into any design desired. The iberized surface of the overshoe upper may be printed upon by employing the Well-known process of textile print Work, or it may be printed upon by impression, such, for instance, as would be produced by a rotary or platen press.

By depositing different colored fibers in different places on the gum compound sury face, designs of many kinds will be readily obtained.

The invention consists in the improved shoe set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the claims.

A shoe and 5 is the upper. The sheet material of which this upper is composed, see Fig. 2, consists of a layer of sheet material such as fabric 6, a layer 7 of elastic compound such,

- for example, as rubber compound, a layer- 8 of adhesive material, such as elastic gum cevco ment, which is applied to the layer 7, and a layer 9 positioned on the layer 8 and consisting of small particles of material which may be fibrous material such as flock, where it is desired to produce inthe fabric the effect of a woolen, felted or knitted fabric, or where it is desired to present an appearance of certain soft tanned leathers, ground leather may be used.-

The layer 8 has incorporated therein small particles of material, which may be fibrous material such as flock, where it is desired to produce in the fabric the appearance of a woolen, felted or knitted fabric, or where it is desired to present an appearance of certain soft tanned leathers, small particles of leather are employed. Preferably, the small particles of material in the layer 8 will be the same as the particles of material incorporated in the layer 9, so that as the fabric wears in use, the same appearance will be presented to the eye when the layer 9 has worn o or partly worn ofi', due to the small particles of material in the layer 8.

According to the material which is used in the layers 8 and 9 and the degree of lineness to which it is ground, different appearances may be given to the sheet upper, and the color used for these different layers may be varied according to the pigments whichl are used in said layers, and where pigments are used, the same pigments would preferably be used in the layer of adhesive material 8 and in the layer 9, so that as the article is worn :it will still keep the same color. For the layer 6 dierent materials may be used, such as woven fabric, knitted goods, stockinette, and the like. The use of such fabric depending upon the result which it is desired to attain. The-layer 7 being made of an elastic compound, such as rubber compound,

without any particles of fabric in it, renders f the fabric as a whole limpervious to air and water. Y

In manufacturing the sheet material of which the upper is composed the layer of fabric 6 may be of woven cloth or knitted fabric,'or other, textile fabric, and this is passed through a vcalender and the elastic compound layer 7 is applied to the layer 6 and is driven by pressure in between the yarns that make up the fabric on one face of the layer 6. This is the well-known coating process regularly carried on in rubber mills. The layer 8, consisting of a light coat of elastic gum cement with the fine particles hereinbefore set forth incorporated therein, is applied to the elastic gum compound layer 7, said layer 8 constituting an adhesive. The elastic gum cement of the layer 8 having the particles of fibrous material or other fine particles hereinbefore named, or other equivalents, incorporated therein, may be applied to the layer 7 by passing the layers 6 and 7 over a roll and under a sharp straight edge; then While the elastic gum cement is still sticky and before the solvent therein has evaporated, the cement-coated fabric will next pass under a device from which the material with which the layer 8 is to bel faced is delivered, that is, the fine particles of flock hereinbefore set forth. The surplus material not taken up and notfirmly positioned upon the layer 8 is then -removed by suction, leaving a fine deposit of small pieces of material forming the layer 9, which may be flock or any fibrous material or other material, according to the desired finish of the material of which the shoe upper isformed.

After the upper has been manufactured as hereinbefore described, the sole 4 is attached thereto in any well known or suitable manner, as by means of adhesive material and pressure. y

It will be understood that this invention relates to an overshoe or a shoe and the sole .4 may be of rubber compound or of leather or of any other material which is practicable for the purpose.

The machine described for the manufacture of the material of the shoe upper is to be made the subject-matter of a separate application for United States Letters Patent.

It is to be understood that the word i111- pervious is used herein as applied to the use to which the shoe may be put practically.

While the article of footwear of this invention is set forth in the claims as an overshoe, it may also include shoes, as set, forth in the specification, and also slippers or the like, without departing from the spirit of this invention, and in the specification and claims the word overshoe is to be read. with this understanding.

We claim: l

1. A waterproof shoe or the like embodying therein an upper comprising an inner layer of sheet material, a layer of elastic compound, superimposed thereon, a layer of adhesive material containing small particles pound superimposed thereon, a layer of ad- ,e

of fibrous material applied to said la er of t elastic compound, and a layer of sma l particles of material superimposed upon said layer of adhesive material. Y

2. A waterproof shoe or the like embodying therein an upper comprising a piece. of waterproof sheet material embodying therein a layer of fabric, a layer of rubber com` hesive material containing small particles of fbrousmaterial applied to said layer of rubber compound, and a layer of small particles of material attached to the layer of adhesive materlal.

3. An overshoe or the like embodying I ltherein a Vulcanizable waterproof upper comprising an inner layer of sheet materlal, a layer of elastic compound superimposed thereon, a layer,of adhesive material containing small particles of fibrous material f attached to said layer of elastic compound, and a layer of small particles of material attached to said layer of adhesive material.

4. An overshoe or the like embodying therein a vulcanizable waterproof` upperl embodying'therein an inner layer of sheet material, a layer of elastic compound superimposed thereon, a layer of adhesive mate` rial containing small particles of fibrous material attached to said layer of elastic compound, and a layer of small particles of material attached to said layer of adhesive material, said layers of elastic compound and adhesive material containing sulphur, a metallic oxide, and an accelerator, whereby the upper is rendered vulanizable.

5. An overshoe. or the like embodying therein a Vulcanizable Waterproof upper embodying therein an inner layer of sheet material, alayer ofrelastic compound superimposed thereon, a layer of adhesive material containing small particles of fibrous material attached to said layer of elastic compound, and a layer of small particles of material attached to said layer of adhesive material, said layers of elastic compound and adhesive ma- 'terial containing sulphur, zinc oxide and diphenylguanidine, whereby the upper isy rendered vulcanizable.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

ALFRED A. GLIDDEN. WALTER R. HICKLER. 

